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LAKELAND — Here we are in the state semifinals for football. While all the athletes in the other fall sports have long since completed their seasons, 36 football teams remain, including Lakeland and Gainesville’s Buchholz in Class 4S. The two teams meet at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
For Lakeland, the Dreadnaughts, so far, are one game short of last season when they reached the state championship game and gave Bill Castle his eighth state title in his final season has head coach. Lakeland is looking to reach the championship game for the 10th time in school history.
For Buchholz, the Bobcats have matched their success of the past two seasons when they reached the state semifinals, losing both times to Venice, 42-35, last season, and St. Thomas Aquinas, 45-7, in 2021.
Buchholz is looking for its first trip to the state championship game since 1990 when it won its only state title, defeating Fort Lauderdale Dillard, 24-7.
Looking back: Lakeland’s offensive fireworks brought back memories of Kathleen-Seabreeze in 2003
Region finals: Rucker’s big game ignites Lakeland football’s offensive explosion
Lakeland was at home for all four playoff games prior to the championship game last year and will be the away team in the playoffs for the first time since losing to Lake Gibson in 2021. This is the Dreadnaughts’ first playoff game out of Polk County since losing at Tampa Bay Tech, 55-34, in 2020.
Here’s what you need to know about Friday’s game.
Lakeland running back D’Marius runs for a 43-yard touchdown on a jet sweep in the first quarter against Lake Minneola on Friday night at Bryant Stadium.
Lakeland (10-3) at Buchholz (13-0) in FHSAA Class 4S Semifinal
ABOUT LAKELAND: The Dreadnaughts showed that, when healthy, they can run the ball as well as ever as they ran for 616 yards last wee with D’Marius Rucker leading the way with…
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Author : The Ledger
Publish date : 2023-11-30 09:05:32
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